Endless Wonder
by chakramchaser
Summary: Fifth year at Hogwarts brings great changes for Myka with her new role as prefect, OWLs approaching and a new friendship with a myterious and beautiful Slytherin...  Takes place in the Harry Potter universe, but only Hogwarts staff cross over
1. Chapter 1

The crisp autumn air filled Myka's lungs as she stepped off the prefects' train car. Students milled around her and she scanned the crowd for a familiar face. The repeated cry of "Firs' years this way!" assaulted her ears as the lumbering figure of Hagrid came closer.

"Myka! Nice to see ye back," he said cheerfully as he passed her. "An' a prefect no less!"

"Hi, Hagrid," she replied, surveying the crowd of first years behind him. She smiled encouragingly at them, remembering how terrified and overwhelmed she had been the first time she stepped off the Hogwarts Express and into the world she now called home.

Suddenly, she heard a someone calling her name. She turned around to see a tall boy in Hufflepuff robes bounding towards her, pushing through the crowd until he was at her side. He enveloped her in a hug that lifted her feet from the ground, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, Pete, did you have a good summer?" Myka asked. He nodded and launched into a story about his trip home to Ohio as they walked towards the carriages together. One of Myka's biggest frustrations was the little amount of time she was able to spend with Pete, who had been her best friend since he inexplicably set her blue Ravenclaw tie on fire in first year Charms class.

"Anyway, how was your summer, Miss Perfect Prefect?" Pete teased, nudging Myka lightly on the shoulder. She wrinkled her nose at the nickname, which she hoped Pete would promptly forget.

"It was fine, I guess," she answered absentmindedly. "My parents took me back to Colorado to see my cousins…"

They continued walking up the hill, swapping stories as the sun set. Myka's eyes traveled lazily across the mostly familiar faces of the students as Pete's chatter continued in the background. Her gaze stopped, though, when she locked eyes with a strange Slytherin girl. The girl's eyes were unusually, unsettlingly dark, and the green of her robes set off the paleness of her skin. As she studied Myka from across the crowd, the vaguest shadow of a smile played at her mouth. Her eyebrows curved upwards in interest. Myka stared back, oddly captivated by the girl's expression. She was forced to break eye contact, though, when Pete jostled her and she lost her footing on the uneven ground. When she looked back over, the Slytherin girl had disappeared into the crowd.

The feast passed uneventfully and Myka was reunited with her housemates. After leading the first years through the common room and to their dormitories, Myka changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. It was usually during this quiet time at the end of the day when her mind refused to remain calm. Tonight it was only the Slytherin girl from the crowd who dominated her consciousness for whatever reason. Surrendering herself to the inevitable, Myka allowed the thoughts to run their course and eventually, she drifted into a light but restful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Myka watched the students file into the dark potions classroom as she sat quietly alone at her table, setting up her cauldron. The seat next to her remained empty, as most of her classmates sat grouped by Houses. Myka's camaraderie with Pete was one of the deepest friendships she had in her life and she found her interactions with her housemates rather superficial in comparison. Not an outgoing person to begin with, this often led to Myka sitting alone in class until all the seats had been taken and someone, regretting their tardiness, was forced to sit with her instead of with their friends.

This time, however, class had started and Myka was still alone with her cauldron. She smiled to herself, excited at the prospect of not having to deal with a resentful partner all year. Her hopes were dashed, however, when the heavy door of the dungeon slammed and quick footsteps approached. A quick "Sorry, professor," was murmured before a mass of black robes enveloped the seat next to Myka. Professor Snape raised an eyebrow at the new arrival.

"A wonderful first impression, Miss Wells," he said with disdain before returning to the lecture.

Myka looked over at her new potions partner, and her stomach dropped when her gaze met startlingly familiar dark eyes.

"Helena Wells," the Slytherin girl whispered to Myka, holding out her hand. Myka took it and they shook– the girl's pale skin was surprisingly warm.

"Myka Bering," Myka whispered shyly in response. The smile that had been lurking on the girl's lips the day before finally escaped, and her face broke into a grin.

"Pleasure," she answered, giving Myka's hand a gentle squeeze before withdrawing it to unpack and assemble her cauldron. As Helena worked, Myka allowed herself to study her new potions partner. Her skin was luminous in the low light of the dungeon, and her hair was nearly as dark as her eyes. She was quite beautiful, Myka thought– in fact, stunningly so. She also noticed a prefect badge above the Slytherin crest on her robes.

"You're a prefect?" Myka whispered hesitantly as Helena finished setting up her cauldron.

"Yes," she answered, her eyes flitting to Myka's chest. "As are you."

"I didn't see you on the prefects' car on the way over," Myka said.

"Perhaps not, darling, but I saw you." A look of mischief crept onto the Helena's face. Myka felt a blush rise in her cheeks as she opened her mouth to respond.

"Miss Bering!" Professor Snape's voice interrupted their conversation, and Myka blushed deeper as she redirected her attention to the front.

"I hope I shall not be forced to take house points on the first day of the semester," Snape continued, his voice thick with malevolence. Myka shook her head and muttered an embarrassed apology, glancing over at Helena's supremely amused expression.

The lesson passed without much more discussion, mostly due to Myka's refusal to incur Snape's wrath. She was also keenly aware of the fact that Helena was staring at her out of the corner of her eye, a look of subtle interest on her face. It made Myka squirm and wish desperately that she had done something to tame her unruly curls, which were steadily growing frizzier over the steam of the cauldron.

When the period ended, Myka rushed to pack up her cauldron and deposit a sample of her potion on Professor Snape's desk. As she left the room, she noticed another pair of feet fall into step with hers– Helena's.

"Well, Myka, I guess I'll be seeing you around?" she said, brushing her hair out of her eyes and looking at Myka expectantly. Myka swallowed, suddenly nervous.

"Yeah, I guess so." She smiled awkwardly at Helena, who stayed standing in front of her with one raised eyebrow. Myka felt her cheeks begin to burn. Unsure if she should say something else, she elected to simply turn on her heel and hurry to her next class, leaving Helena clutching her potions books with a smirk on her face.


	3. Chapter 3

The Saturday sun was blazing in the sky, but the cool autumn air was enough to force Myka and Pete to wear scarves as they walked across the grounds that afternoon. The occasional student on a broom raced overhead, and other pairs and small groups of people could be seen dotting the grass. Myka and Pete chose a spot under their usual tree and sat down. Myka took out an empty book and quill, and started scratching words absentmindedly into the paper.

"Whatcha up to now, Mykes?" Pete asked, prodding at the grass with his wand. "Copying out your notes again after only one week of class? You're such a keener."

"Shut up, Pete," Myka answered as the pace of her writing increased. "I'm just thinking, I guess. Everything makes better sense on paper."

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, waving his wand in an exaggerated swish-and-flick motion.

"Nothing," Myka answered in a faraway tone of voice. "My potions partner, I guess… There's something about her, and I can't put my finger on it." She put her quill down and looked over at Pete. "She makes me nervous."

"Well, what do you expect? She's a Slytherin, Mykes. They're skeevy." Pete redirected his attention at the grass.

"It's not that," Myka responded insistently, beginning to write again. "It's just a feeling… Kind of like she knows everything. And not just in a smart way, just the way she looks at me makes me feel like she can see inside my head or something–" A small explosion to Myka's left interrupted her thought and caused her turn her attention to Pete. He sat with his wand in his hand, a stunned expression on his soot-covered face. The grass in front of him was smoking slightly and had a distinctly purple colour under the black residue of the flames. Pete noticed this and dropped his wand to sink his hands into the ground.

"It worked!" he shouted, ripping up the purple grass and throwing it into the air. It rained down on Myka's hair and she swatted it away impatiently.

"What worked, Pete? Were you trying to burn the forest down or something?"

"No, the colour-change charm! It worked! See? That grass is definitely not green anymore." He plucked a blade from Myka's curls and held it up for her as proof.

"You're going to have to do better than that for your OWLs," someone said, startling both Pete and Myka. They looked up to see a first year Gryffindor girl with her arms crossed contemplating the singed patch of grass. She had brown hair with a bright scarlet streak on one side.

"And what would you know about colour-change charms, squirt?" Pete challenged her. "Looks like you misfired with one and hit your hair by accident!"

"Pete!" Myka hissed, swatting his arm. The girl shrugged it off, remaining completely calm.

"I'm a metamorphmagus, stupid. I did that on purpose." She sat down cross-legged in front of them and turned to Myka. "I'm Claudia. What's your name?"

"I'm Myka." Myka said pleasantly, slightly taken aback by the girl's forwardness. "And this is Pete." When Pete said nothing and eyed the girl suspiciously, Myka swatted his arm more forcefully.

"Ow, okay!" he shouted indignantly. "Hi, Claudia, nice to meet you. And by the way, thanks for insulting my magical prowess."

Claudia didn't respond to the remark, though, because she had noticed the bright orange badge that was fixed to Pete's bookbag by a sticking charm– Myka's work, of course. "Is that a Chudley Cannons badge?" she said excitedly, grabbing the bag to inspect it more closely.

In an instant, all traces of resentment disappeared from Pete's face. "Yeah! You a fan?"

"Since I was four years old," Claudia said, her eyes lighting up. "Remember when they beat the Falmouth Falcons–"

"– and Ragmar Dorkins fainted from the shock?" Pete finished Claudia's sentence. "Heck yes I remember! And then they moved up eleventh place in the league!"

"Oh, that was awesome!" Claudia and Pete high-fived. Pete then looked over at a bemused Myka, who had paused her writing again to observe the strange exchange.

"The little squirt might not be so bad after all," Pete said to her. "After all, I need someone to talk about Quidditch with if you won't oblige." Myka sneered in response and packed up her bags.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you two to your quaffles and snitches," she said, taking out her wand and pointing it at Pete. A jet of water shot out of the wand's tip and onto Pete's still soot-covered face, eliciting a giggle from Claudia. Myka smiled. "Just thought you might need some help cleaning up before I go."

"I like you," Claudia said suddenly to Myka. "Can we be friends?"

Myka looked down at Claudia and nodded. "Yes, Claudia. We can be friends." With one last triumphant look at the sodden Pete, Myka turned and started for the castle, listening to Claudia's matter-of-fact chatter fade into the distance.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Exams chased away my muse, but she's back. I hope this makes up for the absence and I promise that the plot does indeed thicken! (If the ultimate goal of Bering and Wells romance counts as a plot...)

* * *

><p>The library was easily Myka's favourite place in the castle. She had often foregone trips to Hogsmeade simply to relish the library in its perfect silence, free for once from whispers and muffled giggling. Today, she had chosen a large table by one of the windows that looked out over the rolling green hills dotted with red and orange autumn trees. Opening a large volume on the history of the Ministry of Magic, Myka twirled a curl around her index finger and allowed herself to fall into the words on the page… At least until the chair across from her was pulled back and someone sat down, lowering a rather heavy bookbag forcefully onto the table. Myka jumped in her seat, looking up with irritation lurking behind her eyes.<p>

"Is this seat taken?"

Myka's irritation was replaced with senseless anxiety as she looked up into Helena's face, which was pale as ever but boasted a genial smile. Her shining hair was tucked behind one ear, and Myka unconsciously smoothed the curl she had been toying with. It, of course, sprang back into a ringlet as soon as she let go of it.

"Hi, Helena," she responded, smiling nervously. "How are you?"

"Not bad, all things considered." She wrinkled her nose, and Myka's heart skipped a beat. "But Defence Against the Dark Arts will be the death of me, I fear. Professor Nielsen, that little troll of a man–"

"Care to finish that sentence?" a gruff voice came from behind the nearest bookshelf, startling both girls. Myka's heart sank and Helena's expression turned to stone as Arthur Nielsen emerged with a thin book on counter-jinxes beneath his arm and his round glasses halfway down his nose.

"Professor!" Helena exclaimed, frantically searching for a way to save face but producing small, strangled noises of desperation instead. Myka racked her extensive vocabulary for some way to intervene, but Professor Nielsen beat her to it.

"Ten points, Miss Wells," he said simply with a curmudgeonly sigh. "See you in class." With that he lumbered away, grumbling under his breath until he disappeared around the corner. Myka turned her attention back to Helena, whose cheeks had turned a fiery shade of scarlet.

"Well, if that doesn't seal my fate…" She extracted a Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook from her bookbag and plopped it on the table before opening it up to a seemingly arbitrary page and beginning to read.

"He's pretty reasonable most of the time," Myka encouraged. "I'm sure he'll still mark you fairly."

"If I had any skill whatsoever in the subject, I would be able to take solace in that," Helena said dejectedly as she flipped to the index of the book and then back to the page she had been reading.

"Well, I mean, I could help you…" The words were out of Myka's mouth before she knew what she was saying. "That is, if you wanted me to, I guess. I mean, I'm no expert or anything…"

"Oh, darling, would you?" Helena interrupted, looking at Myka with eyes filled with gratitude.

"Sure." Myka felt a smile creep onto her face, and she noted feeling vaguely pleased at Helena's apparent excitement. "When do you want to get started?"

"Oh, as soon as possible." Helena's gaze flitted to the window as she said it, and a look of mischief came over her. "But today is such a lovely day… Come. I want to show you something." Before Myka had a chance to object, Helena had packed up all her books and slung her bag over her shoulder. She grabbed Myka by the hand and pulled her out of the library, Myka's history book lying open and forgotten on the table.

The autumn winds were colder than they had anticipated, and Helena linked arms with Myka as they walked across the grounds. Myka, usually cautious with personal space, had no choice but to go along with the gesture. In fact, she found herself oddly comfortable with it despite the nagging tugs in the pit of her stomach and the inexplicable fluttering of her heart.

"Where are we going, exactly?" she asked, nearly tripping over a rock as Helena hurried forward.

"To the greenhouses," Helena answered nonchalantly.

"But it's Saturday," Myka protested. "Nobody will be there."

"Precisely," Helena said with a mischievous smile as the two approached the greenhouse used by upper-year students. Helena pulled open the door and stood aside, looking at Myka. "After you."

"Thanks," Myka said as she stepped hesitantly into the heat of the greenhouse. "Um, Helena… Are we supposed to be in here?"

"Relax, it's left open for a reason," she assured her. She pushed Myka gently through the rows of plants with a hand on her lower back. "These plants do need tending at all times of the day… Careful not to uproot the Mandrakes there, darling," she cautioned just in time for Myka to avoid knocking over a pot with her elbow. She laughed as Myka blushed for what seemed like the twentieth time that day.

"Sorry," she muttered, bringing her hands down to her sides and following Helena deeper into the greenhouse. "I'm not used to being in here, I dropped herbology after second year."

"Herbology is my greatest passion after transfiguration. Potions is a close third," Helena said, suddenly kneeling at the end of a long table of plants and pointing her wand at the side. "Descendo."

Myka's brow furrowed as a section of the concrete slab lowered into the ground, revealing a small cavern from which Helena produced a single potted plant. She held it up to Myka with a look of pride on her face.

"Isn't it wonderful?" She asked. Myka lowered her gaze to inspect the plant, which resembled a withered, black geranium oozing some sort of yellow goo that smelled like gasoline. Interestingly, the flowers seemed to have tiny sharp teeth.

"What is it exactly?" she asked Helena, recoiling in caution from the strange plant. Helena laughed, setting the plant on the top of the table.

"It's my own breed," she said as she began to tend to the plant using a variety of materials from the little cavern. "A cross between a bubotuber and a fanged geranium. It will bite any human that approaches it, like the fanged geranium…" She paused to put on a thick leather glove before prodding at the base of the plant. "And the bite will infect the victim with the bubotuber pus, causing a number of unpleasant skin ailments." Helena turned to look at Myka over her shoulder. "It's taken me two and a half years to get it right."

"Isn't that, um… dangerous?" Myka questioned hesitantly. "And really, _really _not allowed?" Helena only laughed.

"Darling, I thrive on danger," she said, looking at Myka with a curious glint in her eye. "Look." She rolled up her sleeve, revealing an expanse of smooth ivory skin. Helena pointed to a small mark above the crook of her elbow.

"Burn from a blast-ended skrewt in Care of Magical Creatures," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "This one," she shifted focus to a faint scratch on her wrist that was still healing, "was a misfired severing charm I directed at a particularly mobile bouncing bulb in Herbology. And this one…" She turned around, moving her hair over one shoulder and pulling down the neck of her robe to reveal a raised red welt. "This one is from trying to modify bluebell flames."

Myka raised her fingers to the welt, touching it very gently. She found that it was still warm to the touch.

"How long ago did you do this?" She asked with concern.

"Oh, several weeks," Helena answered. "It doesn't hurt, but I won't risk another misfired spell in trying to heal it and goodness knows Madam Pomfrey would put me through the third degree if I went to see her about it."

"Would you mind if I tried something?" Myka asked hesitantly. Helena glanced over her shoulder and nodded. Myka took out her wand and held Helena's robes clear of the welt. Through her focus on her spell, she was vaguely aware of the chills radiating up her arm from the point of contact with Helena's neck.

"Reparifors," she said. The welt immediately shrank in size and the redness dissipated, leaving Helena's skin completely normal but for some residual warmth.

"There," she said, letting go of Helena's robes. Helena turned around and felt the back of her neck, an incredulous smile spreading across her lips.

"It's gone," she said, and Myka nodded as she tried to hide her self-satisfied smile. It escaped when Helena took Myka's hand and squeezed it, saying a quick but earnest "thank you" before she turned back to finish her work on the bubotuber-fanged geranium cross, which was suddenly writhing and making odd noises.

Myka's mixed unease and curiosity did not go unnoticed as she watched Helena wrap up her work on the plant. When she had finished, she replaced both the plant and the tools in the cavern, which automatically closed up again. She turned to Myka and motioned that they leave the greenhouse. As they stepped out into the sun, the wind whipped their hair around their faces and they pulled their cloaks tight.

"I do apologize if you find my contraband Herbology situation unsettling," Helena said regretfully. "Not to mention my illicit magical wounds. Perhaps I shouldn't have brought you? I understand that my pastimes are enough to make anyone uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine," Myka assured her quickly. "It's actually kind of impressive. Really impressive, actually. And scary. But mostly impressive." She stopped abruptly, realizing she was poised for a long string of rambling and hoping Helena didn't notice. Apparently she didn't, or she chose to ignore it, because she only smiled widely and linked arms with Myka once again as they headed for the castle.


	5. Chapter 5

The Great Hall was alive with sunlight and the morning chatter of the students who eagerly filled their mouths with eggs and bacon. The occasional "thump" of a package being dropped on a table could be heard, and the odd owl sat with its owner being fed bits of toast. Myka sat at the Ravenclaw table, picking at her food and scanning her copy of The Daily Prophet. She was midway through an article on the arguments over the proposed restructuring of the Ministry of Magic when someone plopped down on the bench next to her.

"What're you reading?" It was Claudia, the streak in her hair now bright green. She looked inquisitively at Myka, who was swallowing some pumpkin juice.

"Something political that I shouldn't be reading first thing in the morning," she answered, setting down her cup and putting the paper aside. "What are you doing here, Claudia? You should be at the Gryffindor table."

"It's more fun over here and besides, we're friends. Remember?" Claudia answered simply, eliciting a smile from Myka as she watched Claudia swing her legs around the other side of the bench and serve herself some sausage.

"I have flying lessons today," Claudia continued to talk as she ate. "I've never been on a broomstick before. Even though I love Quidditch, my brother Joshua won't let me have a broom until I've had real lessons. I think it's dumb, because I've read about them and they seem pretty simple and I should be able to ride one if I want. Are flying lessons interesting, at least?"

Myka winced at the memories of her own flying lessons in first year, more often than not ending with her sprawled on the ground and the broomstick flying away without her. "Um, I guess it's fun if you know what you're doing," she answered noncommittally, preferring not to elaborate. Claudia smiled widely in excitement, cutting another piece of sausage and popping it into her mouth.

"Mykes!" Myka turned to the sound of her name as Pete called her from the entrance to the Great Hall. He bounded across the room and almost took out a few first years in the process before coming to a screeching halt at Myka's side. "We're gonna be late for Divination if you don't hurry," he urged her, out of breath. "Leena will give us detention…" Then, noticing Claudia, he put out his hand. Claudia obliged not with the high five Myka expected, but with some elaborate handshake they had clearly worked out beforehand and spent an inordinate amount of time practicing. They finished with a laugh as Myka looked on, somewhat confused but more or less entertained by the display.

"I have flying lessons today," Claudia shared the news with Pete.

"Awesome, squirt!" Pete said, nodding enthusiastically in approval and ruffling her hair. "You'll knock 'em dead!"

"I know," Claudia said confidently, smoothing her hair and standing up to leave. She turned to Myka and pulled on one of her curls, giggling as it sprung energetically back into place.

"Bye!" she said cheerfully before hurrying off out of the Great Hall and down to the Quidditch pitch. Myka had only just packed up her bag when Pete started pulling on her arm urgently.

"Pete! Calm down!" she said. "We're not _that _pressed for time." Nevertheless Myka allowed herself to be dragged across the Great Hall and towards the exit. Something– or rather, someone– caught her eye before she went through the door, though. Helena, seated at the Slytherin table, was watching Myka from across the room. When they made eye contact Helena winked, and Myka barely had enough time to grin at her in response before she was tugged out of the Great Hall and down the corridor to Divination.

* * *

><p>Myka found herself drifting off, noticing neither the professor's instruction from the front of the room nor the fact that Pete was paying far more attention than normal, his parchment full of accurate and detailed notes. His admiring gaze was locked on the professor, whose own eyes seemed filled with secret knowledge. Of course Myka was blissfully unaware of this fact, as she let her thoughts take their own course down the stream of consciousness.<p>

"Myka." Pete whispered urgently. She snapped out of her reverie.

"What?"

Pete gestured to the front of the room, where Leena was waiting for an answer to a question that Myka hadn't even heard.

"Sorry, professor, could you repeat that?" Myka was embarrassed, but Leena just smiled.

"Cartomancy," she said gently. "Could you tell us what Etteilla's contribution to cartomancy was?"

"Um, the… uh, esoteric Tarot de Marseilles?" she guessed. Leena nodded and continued with the lesson, as Pete looked at Myka disapprovingly.

"What?" she hissed at him. He simply shook his head and returned to staring at Leena, leaving Myka to drift back into the emptiness of her boredom. She was so absorbed in thinking about nothing in particular that she didn't even realize when the lecture had ended and students began filing out of the classroom. Pete was halfway out the door before he noticed that Myka wasn't following him. When he turned back to call her, though, he saw that Leena had gotten to her first.

"Myka?" she said, approaching the desk where she sat. Myka looked up abruptly, her cheeks turning red.

"Sorry, professor," she said. "I just don't know where my head is lately…" She began frantically packing her bag, but Leena put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"It's alright," she assured her. "Everyone has their off days." Myka nodded, and Leena gestured to Myka's hands.

"May I?" she asked. "I'm a seer, you know, and I might be able to give you some insight if you wanted…"

"Um… Sure, I guess." Myka shrugged, the expression on her face sceptical as Leena sat down across from her took her hands. In the instant that they touched, Myka felt a concentrated point of warmth in her palms. Leena's eyes were shut but Myka could see movement beneath their lids. When they flew open without warning, Leena squeezed Myka's hands gently.

"You have quite the ride ahead of you," she said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Myka asked, unsure. Leena shook her head, withdrawing her hands.

"I think it's best if I let you figure this one out by yourself," she answered cryptically as she stood up and turned towards the office. Seeming to think better of it, though, she faced Myka once more and simply touched the tips of her fingers to Myka's temple. Instantaneously, the image of Helena winking at her in the Great Hall appeared vividly in Myka's mind. She felt her stomach fall through the floor at the memory, and Leena smiled watching the expressions play across her student's face. With that she turned and retreated to her office, leaving Myka confused and wrestling with the newly stirred emotions within. But not caring to make sense of them at that moment, she buried the thoughts and stood up, hurrying after Pete out of the classroom and down the corridor.


	6. Chapter 6

"So the non-corporeal patronus is simply a weaker form of the corporeal version?" Helena said, twirling her quill between her index finger and thumb. Myka nodded in agreement, flipping through the book in front of her. They sat at their table in the library, surrounded by stacks of Defense Against the Dark Arts materials.

"Right," Myka confirmed. "And the source of the patronus comes from happiness."

"Like what?" Helena raised her right eyebrow in a way that sent chills right to the core of Myka's abdomen. She swallowed hard.

"Um… like a memory that brings you so much joy, it manifests itself in a spirit guardian."

"What's yours?" Helena rested her chin on her hand, looking at Myka expectantly.

"What's my what?" Myka asked, shifting in her seat.

"Your happy memory. What goes on in your head when you cast that patronus?" Helena reached out and flicked Myka's forehead gently, laughing softly as Myka rubbed at the spot absently.

"How should I know?" she responded defensively. "I've never–"

"Oh, come now," Helena urged, cutting Myka off. "You're industrious and dedicated. And a little too ambitious for certain arbitrary rules, if I'm right." She leaned in closer to Myka, lowering her voice to a vaguely sultry whisper. "I'm sure you've snuck off into the forest once or twice to try your hand at it. They say it's an expert spell, that it can't be done by a student… and you take it as a challenge."

Myka's cheeks slowly turned crimson as she considered Helena, whose eyes seemed to be boring holes into her. The hint of a smile that always lingered on Helena's lips was threatening to burst out, and Myka let out a resigned sigh.

"Alright!" she conceded. "I've done it. Twice. I only got the corporeal form the second time though."

Helena's eyes twinkled and her full smile escaped. "And what does it look like?"

"It's a hare."

"Ah," Helena said, leaning back to appraise Myka. "Interesting. Hares are paradoxes, you know. Very clever and quite the tricksters at times, but they represent contradictory principles. Cowardice and courage, femininity and androgyny…" she paused. "Purity and sexuality."

"I didn't know that." Myka's found her voice a moment later, though it was strangled with embarrassment. Helena laughed, the sound clear and cheerful, as she placed her hand over Myka's where it lay on the open textbook.

"I'm sorry to have made you uncomfortable, darling," she said. "I only wanted to gain a bit of insight into your character. You seem so terribly guarded."

"Well what about you?" Myka challenged, suddenly finding her strength. "I hardly know anything about you. Other than you're a prefect with some questionable herbological pastimes…" Helena laughed once again, taking her hand off of Myka's and crossing her arms in front of her.

"I like you, you know," she said. "You're different."

Myka was about to answer when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped in her seat, looking up into Pete's face.

"Whatcha up to, ladies?" he said, shooting a suspicious glance towards Helena. Myka did not lose sight of the look, and she swatted his hand away in frustration.

"Studying," Myka replied shortly. "And what productive use of time have you come up with today?"

"You underestimate me," Pete answered. "I'm actually on my way to Quidditch practice, which _you_…" he replaced his hand on Myka's shoulder, "agreed to come watch." Myka raised her hand to her forehead, shaking Pete's hand off again and looking over at Helena.

"I completely forgot," she said, addressing Helena more so than Pete. "Can we reschedule this for later? I'm so sorry." Helena smiled and moved to pack her things.

"It's really no trouble at all, Myka," she said. "This has been illuminating and I think I've had quite enough for one day as it is. So go on and have fun."

"Thank you," Myka smiled gratefully and began to place her own books in her bag. Helena brushed Myka's shoulder with her hand on the way out.

"I'll see you in class," she said softly, glancing at Pete pointedly before disappearing behind the rows of bookshelves. Myka stood up, throwing her bag over her shoulder and stalking off at a pace far faster than Pete's.

"Hey, Mykes!" He hurried to walk in step beside her. "What did I do?"

"We were in the middle of something, Pete," she said, exasperated. "Why did you have to interrupt?"

"Because Quidditch starts in half an hour," he said. "And you're my good luck charm! I need you there."

Myka softened, slowing her pace and accepting a playful nudge from Pete's elbow with a smile, but she still stubbornly refused to look at Pete or speak to him as they headed out of the castle and down to the Quidditch pitch.

* * *

><p>The wind was almost unbearable on the bleachers, and Myka sat huddled in her cloak and Ravenclaw scarf as she watched Pete on his broomstick with the rest of his team. The bat he held in his hand was largely ineffectual as the bludgers hurtled at him one at a time. When he happened to connect with one and send it flying across the pitch, he raised his arm in triumph and shouted.<p>

"Score one for Pete!" Myka could hear the cry from where she sat. When he turned on his broomstick to wave at her she waved back.

"Hi." A voice reached Myka's ears from the right, and she turned to see Claudia clambering up the bleachers.

"Hi, Claud," Myka said. "Did Pete invite you to watch?"

"Yeah," she said, sitting down next to Myka and tucking her hair (the streak a deep yellow) behind her ear. "He's not very good yet, is he?"

"Well, he has his days." Myka laughed, watching Pete send another bludger sailing across the pitch. His celebrations were promptly cut short when the bludger looped back around and sailed by him at close proximity, causing him to wobble dangerously on his broom. "How were flying lessons?"

"They were good!" Claudia said enthusiastically, huddling closer to Myka as the wind picked up. "Madame Hooch says I should try out for the Quidditch team next year."

"What position?" Myka asked, stretching her knowledge of Quidditch.

"I want to be a chaser," she said with a grin. "I like going fast."

"That makes one of us," Myka said, turning her attention back to the Hufflepuff practice.

"Hey, who's that girl you were at the library with?" Claudia asked, causing Myka to abruptly redirect her attention.

"Who told you about that?"

"Pete did, just when I saw him on my way up here." Claudia shrugged. "He doesn't seem to like her very much."

"Yeah, I don't think he does either," Myka said bitterly.

"But you like her."

"Yeah," Myka said noncommittally, ignoring the butterflies rising in her belly. "I mean, she's my potions partner and I'm tutoring her in Defense Against the Dark Arts. We're sort of friends, I guess."

"Well, I think that's okay," Claudia said. "I saw her in the Great Hall and she seems nice. And she's pretty."

Myka tensed up, biting her lip and trying to concentrate on Pete once again. But as Claudia prattled on innocently about broomsticks and herbology and the passageways of the castle, Myka found her thoughts drifting back to the library or, more accurately, back to Helena. "See you in class," she had said.

Myka was not embarrassed to admit to herself that she was looking forward to it.


	7. Chapter 7

If there was one thing Myka disliked about being a prefect, it was the late night rounds. She didn't see the point in patrolling the school after dark to make sure no students were roaming in places they shouldn't be. There were so many secret passageways that if they were out of bed, it was likely they would go unnoticed. Besides, Myka found the castle exceedingly creepy at night and she walked quickly through the dark, empty corridors.

Myka flew past the classrooms and down the various staircases, keeping more of a lookout for the chattier ghosts who favoured long, uninterrupted late-night conversation (namely, Nearly Headless Nick) than for wayward students. Her footsteps echoed off the stone, only serving to stimulate her hyper-vigilance. When a sudden crash of metal rang through the empty corridor followed by a piercing cackle, Myka nearly jumped right out of her skin and ducked behind a tapestry on the wall. Peeking out from the fabric she saw Peeves zooming energetically down the corridor, knocking over every suit of armour in his path and ducking into a classroom, producing another series of loud noises and laughter.

"Myka!" Somebody whisper-shouted her name from across the hall. She cautiously poked her head out from behind the tapestry and noticed Helena on the other side of the corridor, sandwiched in between a pillar and the wall in a similar attempt to hide from Peeves.

"What are you doing here?" Myka whispered back.

"Same thing as you, I expect," Helena answered. "Corridor patrol." Despite the tension of the Peeves situation, her eyes glittered with mirth and looking in the direction of the classroom to make sure she could get by unnoticed, she sprinted across the hall and slipped behind the tapestry next to Myka. When the racket inside the classroom ceased, Helena grimaced.

"Damn," she whispered. "He must have heard me running." Myka shushed her, frozen in place and listening intently for any sign that Peeves was approaching. It was a minute or two before she decided that they were safe and that he must have moved on. When she opened her mouth to suggest to Helena that they leave, the tapestry was torn from the wall and Peeves was suddenly on their left, howling and chanting and pelting the girls with chalkboard erasers. Helena covered her head with her hands and made a run for it.

"Myka, let's go!" she shouted urgently, laughter threatening to break through her voice. Myka obliged willingly, not even bothering to shield herself as a chalkboard eraser hit her square in the back of the head and she was enveloped in a cloud of chalk dust. Coughing, she followed Helena around the corner and down the stairs to the Great Hall, leaving Peeves chanting rhymes and cackling wickedly behind them. They stopped and leaned against the wall, panting. When Helena looked over at Myka, she snorted.

"You look absolutely ridiculous," she said, reaching out to touch a lock of Myka's powder-white hair. Myka swatted Helena's hand away.

"Oh yeah? Well, you should take a look at yourself while you're at it," she retorted with a smirk, pointing to the perfect rectangle of chalk dust on Helena's face where an eraser had hit flush against her cheek. Helena swiped her fingers across the spot and studied the chalk dust on them for a moment before rubbing it off on her robes and looking up at Myka.

"It appears as though we both could use some cleaning up."


	8. Chapter 8

Myka and Helena hurried down the hallway arm-in-arm in their pyjamas, their slippered feet making little noise on the cold stone floors. Myka's giggling, however, was another story.

"Shh!" Helena cautioned, her face breaking out into a giddy smile as Myka tried to stifle her laughter. "Filch may hear you, or worse, that mangy cat of his!"

"I can't help it, it happens when I'm nervous," Myka whispered in response as the two stopped four doors past the statue of Boris the Bewildered. "I mean, this is _so _not allowed…"

"Felix Felicis," Helena said the password as she squeezed Myka's arm, and the door to the prefects' bathroom swung open. They shuffled inside quickly, and took care that the door shut quietly behind them. Helena immediately got to work turning different knobs on the many taps that hung over the enormous bathtub, while Myka examined the stained glass. The moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the mermaid who sat on the rock. She was combing her hair out with her fingers, looking utterly calm and unperturbed by Myka and Helena's presence.

"Come on, then!" Helena's voice suddenly pulled Myka from her reverie. The tub was now full of water and a thick layer of pinkish bubbles that smelled ever so faintly of lavender. Helena was already in the water, her pyjamas and towel folded neatly in a pile by the taps. She was contemplating Myka, eyebrows raised. "Aren't you coming in?"

Myka nodded as she approached the side of the tub, all of a sudden keenly feeling Helena's gaze upon her. As she turned this over in her mind, she hesitantly fingered the top button of her pyjama shirt.

"Oh, come now, darling," Helena said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "No need to be bashful."

"No, I know…" Myka sighed. "But, um– do you think you could maybe just, you know… Look away for a second?" Helena smiled at the request, dramatically masking her eyes with a foam-covered hand.

"Satisfied?" she said. But instead of replying, Myka turned her back and quickly shed her pyjamas before slipping into the water. She turned to face Helena at the other end of the tub, looking at her with an embarrassed smile. The two sat in silence across from each other, staring alternately at the walls or out the windows as they rinsed the chalk dust from their faces and hair.

"I have to say, darling," Helena said nonchalantly after a few minutes. "I don't know what you have to be shy about, you're not bad-looking at all. In fact, you have quite a nice body."

"You peeked?" Myka was genuinely scandalized, feeling her face grow hot. But the shameful yet not-quite-apologetic look in Helena's eyes somehow eased the reproach Myka felt, and she could do nothing but frustratedly splash a wave of pinkish foam towards Helena at the other end of the tub. Helena, now covered in the stuff, laughed in disbelief and retaliated, and the two launched into a playful water fight. The mermaid in the window watched, amused, as they dove under the water to evade attack and tried in vain to keep the bubbles from clinging to their faces.

When the competition subsided the moon was at its midnight peak and they sat at opposite ends of the tub again, out of breath and smiling. They reverted to silence, looking at each other from opposite ends of the tub before Helena finally spoke in a low and pensive voice.

"You never answered my question," she said.

"What question?" Myka asked.

"From the other day, when we were talking about patronuses," Helena clarified. "I asked you what your happiest memory was."

Myka contemplated Helena anxiously as she took her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I don't know if I want to answer that," she said at last. Helena just smiled invitingly, swimming half the length of the tub and stopping just close enough to Myka to look into her eyes.

"You can tell me, Myka," Helena assured her. "I just want to know you. That's all. Besides," mischief rising in her face. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Myka couldn't fight the grin that rose to her face and she relented, much to Helena's pleasure.

"I don't even know why I don't want to tell you," she sighed. "It's not a huge secret or anything."

"Perhaps it might make you feel… exposed?" Helena suggested, emphasizing the last word as her eyes trailed subtly from Myka's face down her neck, roving over her collarbone just above where her body disappeared under the cover of the bubbles. Myka swallowed hard, noticing where Helena's gaze lay, but she steeled herself and began.

"It was my first trip to Diagon Alley. My mom's a witch but I grew up without magic because my dad's a Muggle and the whole thing weirded him out." She paused to roll her eyes exaggeratedly, earning her a warm smile from Helena.

"When I got my Hogwarts letter, though, my mom took me to Diagon Alley to get my supplies. As soon as we got there, it was just a world of endless wonder like I had never seen before. It was magical– literally." She laughed. "All the colours and the people moving around were just unbelievable. It made me think that I could really do something better, something that would make me happy. I mean, my dad runs a book shop, which is fine," she clarified for Helena, whose amused expression had morphed to one of general content. "But Bering and Sons has nothing on Flourish and Blotts."

"No, I would imagine not," Helena said, laughing softly to herself. "I do appreciate you sharing that with me, Myka. Thank you."

"Yeah, well, now it's your turn." Myka pulled a wet curl from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. "Spill."

"Righty-ho, then!" Helena said cheerfully, resting her arm on the edge of the tub. "Well, I guess my happiest memory would have to be when I bought my first journal. It sounds insignificant, I know, but it was the world to me. I must have been around seven, and I bought this lovely little book with my own money. It was bound in brown leather with a buckle to keep it closed, and I filled its pages to capacity with anything and everything in my head. Potion ideas along with some documented trials and errors, sketches of plants, and even stories…" A look resembling guilt flashed across her face momentarily, and she cast her gaze down. "Writing fiction has always been a passion of mine, as odd as it sounds."

"No, I don't think it's odd at all!" Myka said. "I think it's wonderful, actually." Helena looked up at Myka, a wide smile creeping onto her face.

"Thank you," she said. "I certainly find it wonderful… which is why I was so ecstatic on that particular day. To have that journal in my possession was to be the master of possibility."

"Can I read some of your writing sometime?" Myka asked tentatively.

"I would be honoured if you would," Helena responded. "But perhaps in the morning, as the nocturnal hours seem to be waning…" She gestured out the window and sure enough, the moon had begun its descent from the sky.

They rinsed the residual foam from their hair and got out of the tub. Myka was quick to dry herself and dress, the idea of Helena looking at her naked form still nagging at the back of her mind. Her pyjamas stuck to her where her skin was wet and she tugged at the spots uncomfortably. When she had finished dressing herself, she looked over her shoulder cautiously to see whether Helena was done. When she saw Helena standing in just her pyjama bottoms, she was aghast at the realization that instead of averting her eyes she continued to stare. Myka couldn't stop her eyes roaming over the contours of Helena's back, studying the way her hair clung to her skin in wet tendrils and the way her face grew rosy in the radiant heat of the bathwater. As Helena moved to put on her pyjama shirt, Myka quickly redirected her gaze to the wall in front of her, and she began to pace the bathroom with the sole aim of avoiding Helena's eyes. It was less than a minute before she felt Helena's presence at her elbow, though, and she was compelled to look down at her face.

"This was fun," Helena said with a gentle smile. Myka smiled back and nodded, and they headed out of the bathroom.

They walked down the hall in silence, listening only to the shuffle of their feet on the ground. When another pair of footsteps joined theirs, along with a long shadow cast along the wall, they stopped dead in their tracks and waited for the inevitable. And sure enough, it came.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Filch cried from behind them. Without hesitation they broke into a run, each smiling broadly. Helena winked at Myka in parting as she darted down the hall to the Slytherin common room, and Myka commenced a laborious sprint to Ravenclaw Tower. She bypassed the riddle at the door without much trouble, and she didn't stop running until she shut the door to her dormitory and lay down on her bed.

Her mind continued to race though her body had stopped, and images of Helena floated through her mind. A distinct feeling of pleasure rose in Myka's chest, which was promptly replaced with guilt and embarrassment, which then gave way to thorough confusion. She shifted under the covers, not caring that her hair was wet and soaking through the pillow. She was preoccupied with more important thoughts for the moment… Specifically, relentless thoughts of Helena that had her falling asleep with an anxious knot in her stomach and a blissful smile on her face.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **A belated dedication of the last chapter (and this one too, if she wishes) to Alana because it's her birthday right now. I can't give her a present because where I live it's not her birthday yet, so this will have to do.

Also, infinite gratitude to WolfNightwind for feeding me some ideas and talking out some plot points with me. Thanks to our correspondence, exciting things will be happening very soon.

* * *

><p>The Three Broomsticks was buzzing with activity as Hogwarts students filed in and out for tankards of warm butterbeer. Myka loved that the first real snowfall of the season had happened on the day of the Hogsmeade trip, enjoying the knowledge that her footsteps were the first to disturb the white blanket that now covered the village. Conversation on the way over with Helena and Pete had been sparse, mostly consisting of Pete making comments about Quidditch and Helena politely but unenthusiastically murmuring her assent. But now, sitting at a table over butterbeer, the conversation had finally turned to something they could all relate to– OWLs.<p>

"I'm gonna ace the Charms practical," Pete declared, taking a drink of butterbeer but neglecting to wipe off the foam moustache that remained. Myka was about to suggest he use a napkin when Helena caught her eye, and the secret smile that they shared stopped her.

"Has your colour-change charm improved, then?" she asked, smirking inwardly at the memory of Pete on the day they met Claudia, with his singed hair and a handful of purplish grass. Helena, having heard the story from Myka, smiled.

"Well, not all of us can get an Outstanding in every class we take," Pete retorted, wiping his mouth absentmindedly with his sleeve. "But I'd like to see you try and write the Herbology OWL for that matter. As if you could even get two hundred words down about a fanged geranium…"

"Personally, I look forward to the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical," Helena said, glancing at Myka. "Thanks to Miss Bering's careful instruction, I have high hopes for success."

"Oh, stop it," Myka said, finishing her butterbeer. "You're really not as bad at it as you think you are."

"Only because you took the time to help me," Helena answered. "We should really consider organizing some Potions study sessions, you know. I worry about the written portion, seeing as the theory of Polyjuice Potion can be quite troubling at times."

"Not to mention the practical will probably be finicky as anything," Myka answered. They then fell to a discussion of the precise cauldron material, size and temperature to brew a flegmaflip potion when suddenly, Pete drained his tankard and stood up, jamming his hat onto his head.

"Ladies, as fascinating as this conversation is, I'm headed to Zonko's. Mykes, you coming?"

Myka looked at Helena, who waved her on encouragingly. "Go on," she said. "I'll be fine. Go have fun." But Myka wrinkled her nose, turning to Pete and shaking her head regretfully.

"I'll pass," she said. "I'll see you at dinner, though." Pete shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets and disappearing out the door of the pub.

"I don't want to keep you from spending time with your friend," Helena said once he had gone. "You didn't have to stay with me."

"I know," Myka answered, "but I wanted to." Helena smiled widely, tucking her hair behind her ear and adjusting her scarf.

"So what would you like to do, then?" she asked.

"I don't know," Myka said. "Any suggestions?"

"Well…" Helena hesitated, but continued when Myka raised her eyebrows expectantly. "I do have one idea, although it certainly requires a healthy sense of adventure."

"I can do adventure," Myka said, smiling lopsidedly as she put on her hat and mittens. Helena followed suit and soon they were leaving the pub, heading up the road to the Shrieking Shack. They walked huddled together, bent against the cold wind. When they reached a thick of trees, Helena stopped and looked around to make sure nobody was watching them. Then, she dashed into the trees and Myka followed close behind.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they emerged in a small glade. Helena turned around and held out her arm.

"Grab hold and don't let go," she said. Myka regarded her with suspicion.

"Why?" she asked, suddenly wary.

"Hold on to my arm," Helena repeated. "Just trust me, Myka. Please." Myka studied Helena's face, looking into the dark eyes that were so soft and honest and imploring. The wind had whipped a delicate shade of pink into Helena's cheeks, and her lips were pulled into a tight but tender smile. She nodded in encouragement as Myka sighed resolutely and entwined her arm with Helena's.

"Are you ready?" Helena asked. When Myka nodded, Helena turned on the spot and in an instant, they vanished.


	10. Chapter 10

The next thing Myka knew, she was standing in an empty public washroom still clinging desperately to Helena's arm.

"Did we just–" she faltered. Helena just nodded, extricating her arm from Myka's grasp and taking off her cloak.

"But you can't apparate until… Your license… We could have splinched!" Myka sputtered as Helena opened her shoulder bag, stuffed her cloak inside and pulled out a Muggle jacket.

"I taught myself," she explained simply. "The ministry doesn't track underage magic use carefully during the school year so I availed myself of the freedom of Hogsmeade trips to experiment. Not to boast, but I have become quite good at apparition. Now take off your cloak and give it to me." Still somewhat shocked, Myka did as she was told and Helena stuffed the cloak into her bag, removing another Muggle jacket. Myka took it and put it on, noticing the remarkable ease with which Helena was able to fit all of the clothing into her relatively small bag.

"Let me guess, undetectable extension charm?" Myka said, tugging on the bag's strap. Helena smiled.

"Bloody useful, although it can get dreadfully heavy when I overstuff it." She zipped her jacket, straightened her hat and planted her hands on her hips. "How do I look?"

Truthfully, Myka thought, Helena looked adorable. The Hogwarts uniform of black tights and a grey pleated skirt were perfectly appropriate for the season, and they passed as a rather trendy Muggle outfit when paired with the close-fitting brown bomber jacket Helena had brought.

"You look great," Myka said, swallowing the more flattering adjectives threatening to pass her lips. "How about me?"

"You're positively darling," Helena said with a smile, stepping closer to Myka and reaching out to adjust the collar on the navy double-breasted pea coat she wore. "It rather suits you, actually." Myka's cheeks coloured and Helena giggled, exiting the washroom.

Helena had chosen the apparition point well, as they found themselves in a small but populated grocery store where they were able to slip outdoors without notice. She had clearly done this before.

"So where are we, exactly?" Myka asked as they headed through the snowy cobblestone streets.

"Mortlach, Scotland." Helena inhaled deeply, shutting her eyes. "Not too far from Hogsmeade, but this is an entirely Muggle town of about 2000 people. Generally very quiet."

Myka nodded, looking around at the architecture. The town seemed pleasant and quaint, with taverns and family-run businesses lining the streets. There was a clocktower ahead that seemed to serve as the main intersection of the town, and it rang out in a cheerful chorus of bells.

"Oh, Helena…" Myka breathed in wonder, reaching out and linking her arm with Helena's. "This place is beautiful."

"I knew you'd love it," she said, looking up at Myka with such a joyful smile that Myka immediately broke out into a grin she was sure could only be described as goofy. Helena leaned her head against Myka's shoulder as they continued to walk.

"There's a little place just up ahead that makes the most wonderful cup of tea," she said after a moment. "May I treat you?"

"Yeah," Myka said. "I'd really like that." She bit her lip to keep from bursting out into the bubbling laughter of pure ecstasy that was rising in her throat, and Helena let go of her arm and turned to face her fully.

"I'll race you," she said, her signature look of mischief taking over. Of course Myka couldn't resist and they took off through the streets, laughing and slipping through the snow in the bright winter sun.

* * *

><p>"How did you find out about this place?" Myka asked, sipping her tea from the dainty china cup the café had served it in. Helena looked out the window into the street, watching the pedestrians and the occasional car pass by.<p>

"It was completely random, to be honest," she replied, toying with the handle of her teacup. "I more or less looked at a map and picked a place. Of course it had to be somewhere I could manage to be inconspicuous about it all, but I didn't want a big metropolis. Mortlach seemed as good as any place, and it has so much character."

"And great tea," Myka added.

"Cheers to that," Helena replied, raising her cup and clinking it gently against Myka's. As Myka raised the cup to her lips, she was consumed with watching Helena across from her. The delicate way she sipped her tea, the elegance of her fingers curling around the cup, the sultry raising of her eyebrows as she peered at Myka from over the rim… it was all too much, and Myka was completely taken aback by the sudden rush of affection she felt for Helena. When Helena set down her teacup and smiled, the fire in Myka's heart solidified with permanence she found hard to doubt. She settled into its warmth happily, not even noticing the sudden change in Helena's expression.

"What on Earth..." she remarked as she furrowed her brow, her gaze directed at a spot over Myka's shoulder. Myka snapped back to reality and turned around to see a glowing blue movement on the street in the distance. When she looked back, Helena was already on her feet and putting on her coat.

"What are you doing?" Myka asked.

"Going to investigate, of course," she said. "After all, we did come here in the spirit of adventure!" She dashed out into the street, and Myka barely had her coat buttoned when she stumbled out the door to follow her.

They jogged down the street towards the blue speck, which became clearer and clearer as they neared. A small crowd had gathered around the figure, which appeared to be a man enveloped in blue flame. He seemed curiously unperturbed by the phenomenon, simply turning his hands over and staring at them intently in utter confusion. Then, deciding to try and extinguish them, he plunged his hand into the snow. Myka and Helena watched in awe with the crowd as the snow melted around the flames, but they did not diminish in the slightest. Murmurs of worry and alarm began to rise from the crowd.

"Is that what I think it is?" Myka whispered to Helena.

"Bluebell flames," Helena said in confirmation as she looked up at Myka, who bit her lip anxiously and returned to watching the events before her unfold. She fingered her wand gingerly in her pocket, but Helena reached out to still her hand. It was too risky, she knew…

Myka soon had no need for her wand, though, because as suddenly as they had erupted the strange fire disappeared, leaving the man unharmed but rather frightened. He was approached by several concerned members of the crowd while the others drifted off in a daze in their own directions.

"Look over there," Helena said, pointing to the corner of the road. A dark figure retreated in a hurry from the crowd down the road, disappearing around a building. Without warning Helena took off in pursuit.

"Helena, wait!" Myka shouted, sprinting to catch up. Helena was hot on the person's trail and didn't slow down, but when she rounded the corner she found the sidewalk and street completely abandoned. Myka finally caught up and came to a screeching halt next to Helena, breathing hard.

"Where did they go?" she asked, and Helena just shook her head.

"No idea."

"You did say this was an all Muggle town, right?" Myka asked. "I mean, given what just happened, maybe there's a small wizarding community you didn't know about."

"I'm sure of it, though," Helena responded in a hushed and bewildered voice, scratching her head through her hat. "There's no magic here at all."

"Well, I think we may have just seen evidence to the contrary." Myka put her hand on Helena's shoulder. "Why don't we head back… Just in case. We don't want to make waves." After a moment, Helena sighed.

"You're right," she relented. "This is just so strange… Something's not right."

"I know," Myka said calmly. "All the more reason for us to let it lie."

Some part of Myka knew that her suggestion wouldn't be taken to heart, because curiosity perpetually glimmered in Helena's eyes and it would certainly spill over given time. Myka knew that Helena would probably drag her far too deep into something she could never understand, something that would get her into more trouble than she bargained for. She knew there would be no easy way out. But somehow, when Helena grasped her hand on the way back to the grocery store, it all ceased to matter. Just the feeling of Helena's fingers through the wool of her mittens was enough to calm Myka, to assure her that it would be alright.

Myka knew that whatever lay ahead would be an adventure.


	11. Chapter 11

Myka clutched her books to her chest as she navigated her way through the crush of students in the hall. It was the last day of class before the Christmas holidays, which lent an air of festivity to the routine. Mistletoe hung from the odd spot on the ceiling and clusters of bells hovered around the hallway, lining everyone's footsteps with music. The light streaming in from the windows was particularly bright as it reflected off the snow and Myka revelled in the lightness of her soul.

"So when are we going back?" A voice at Myka's side caused her to jump, although she was not entirely surprised to see that Helena had fallen into step with her.

"What?" Myka kept her gaze forward, continuing ahead as the crowd of students thinned.

"Mortlach," Helena said, her voice lowered. "We have to go back, of course."

"Helena!" Myka stopped in her tracks to give Helena her full attention, her voice tinted with what could have been either exasperation or anxiety. "Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, a guy was on fire and there must have been some reason for it. Some screwed up, potentially dangerous reason that I'm not sure I want to be involved in…"

"But like you said, there is a reason it happened. And the way I see it, we can't just let it keep happening now that we know about it." Helena stood in silence, holding Myka's gaze with her own as students funnelled into classrooms around them. When the silence echoed around them, Myka became acutely aware of the fact that her resistance was only for show. Aside from the fact that she found Helena increasingly difficult to refuse, she would be lying if she claimed she wasn't at least a little curious herself. But too stubborn to give Helena the satisfaction of knowing that, she set her jaw and sighed obstinately.

"Fine, I'll go. But only so I can make sure you don't get yourself killed."

Helena broke into a wide smile. "After Christmas holidays, then," she said, before turning on her heel and hurrying down the hall to class. But before she ran out of sight, she stopped and turned back.

"One more thing," she called out, sounding slightly hesitant. "Since everyone's leaving tomorrow, perhaps we could see each other one last time? I was hoping tonight, in the courtyard."

"Um… Okay." Myka nodded, trying to contain the blush she felt rising in her cheeks. Helena just smiled again and disappeared around the corner, leaving Myka ecstatic and nervous and not caring that she was horrendously late for class.

* * *

><p>The evening cold cut straight through Myka's winter cloak as she waited outside for Helena. The courtyard was lit only by the few torches affixed to the walls and by the moon, which hadn't yet risen to its full height but was bright nonetheless. When Helena appeared soundlessly by a pillar across the courtyard, Myka's heart skipped a beat. Helena simply stood there for a moment, clutching something in her arms, before walking through the snow towards Myka.<p>

"Hey," Myka said as Helena came within earshot.

"Hello, Myka," Helena said with a tense smile quite out of character for her. She exhaled heavily, watching her breath fogging in a cloud before her.

"It's cold," she remarked needlessly. Myka nodded, wrapping her arms around herself and awkwardly waiting for Helena to say something more. Instead, Helena simply thrust forward the package she was holding.

"What's this?" Myka asked, taking the box into her hands hesitantly.

"Your Christmas gift, of course."

"Oh, Helena, you didn't have to," Myka started. "I didn't–"

"Open it quickly," Helena urged, interrupting Myka's protest. "I don't want it to freeze."

Myka smiled crookedly, turning her attention to the gift. She untied the string on the package and pulled back the brown paper that concealed a simple cardboard box with a few holes punched in the top. Cautiously she lifted the lid, and she gasped at what she saw.

Inside the box was a small potted plant resembling a low-growing shrub with tiny yellow flowers. Two things about it were unusual, though– the bush seemed to vibrate, making the leaves seem like delicate flapping wings, and when Myka listened closely she could hear a gentle and pleasant tone emitting from the plant.

"Helena, I don't…" she faltered.

"It's a cross between a flutterby bush and honking daffodils," she offered. "I managed to downsize the bush and reduce the honking of the flowers to more of a hum. It's one of my favourite breeds, beautiful and delicate and sturdy. Reminded me of you for some reason."

"I don't know what to say, Helena. It's just…" Myka failed to find words again, pausing to search her mind again as Helena waited expectantly. When Myka finally settled on something, she lifted her gaze from the quivering plant to Helena's moonlit face.

"… Breathtaking."

Helena bit her lip to hide the proud grin on her face, and she began boxing up the plant again and tying it up securely.

"I've written care instructions on the inside of the box," she said, fiddling with the string and paper. "You'll want to get it indoors quickly so it doesn't shrivel, and make sure it gets plenty of water before you take it home with you." When she had finished, her hands rested on Myka's holding fast to the plant.

"Thank you," Myka breathed in honest gratitude, her face illuminated with awe and emotion. Helena nodded stiffly in acknowledgement, her eyes suddenly taking on a conflicted quality. Just as Myka was about to ask what was wrong, Helena took a deep, steadying breath, stood on her toes and leaned in to place a quick, dry kiss on Myka's cheek. Her face turned scarlet with embarrassment as soon as she broke away, but seeing that Myka was anything but repulsed, she allowed a small smile to creep onto her face.

"Happy Christmas," she whispered, and in an instant she was halfway across the courtyard and vanishing in the shadows. Myka stood dumbfounded, still holding the plant close to her chest. Despite the winter wind whipping against her face the spot on her cheek where Helena's lips had been was warm, and she raised her hands to it and smiled.


	12. Chapter 12

The January wind whipped against Myka's face as she hurried through the courtyard, shifting to keep her bag from slipping off her shoulder. She barrelled through the corridors once inside the castle, descending the steps to the dungeon and almost tripping on the way. When the finally reached the door of the potions classroom she pushed it open as quietly as she could, knowing that her lateness would not escape notice but hoping it might nonetheless. However, the heads of the students whipped around as the doorhinges creaked and Myka winced at the sound of her name being spit from Snape's mouth.

"A wonderful start to the new term, Miss Bering," he said with a mixture of disdain and boredom. "Five points."

"Sorry, Professor," she muttered as she made for her seat. When she saw Helena sitting at the desk looking over her shoulder expectantly, Myka smiled.

"Hi," she said warmly as she sat down, beginning to unravel her scarf from around her neck. Helena plucked off Myka's sodden hat for her and set it down on the table.

"Hello," Helena replied with a smirk as she watched the snow from Myka's hair began to drip onto her parchment. Upon realizing what was happening, Myka gasped and tried to wipe the water away with her sleeve. Helena reached out to tuck Myka's dripping hair behind her ear for her, and Myka glanced over at her shyly. Neither one wanted to chance another admonishment from Snape, though, so they stayed mostly quiet as he lectured on the uses and composition of Amortentia. When he instructed the class to get out their textbooks and turn to page 394, everybody rummaged in their bags at once. As they bent down to find their things, Helena leaned in towards Myka.

"I missed you," she whispered next to Myka's ear before she straightened up and opened her book. Myka did her best to contain the crooked grin that spread across her face, but failed.

"Me too," she said, the faintest blush creeping onto her cheeks. Helena grinned and cast her eyes down as Snape began instructions for brewing. The rest of the lesson flew by, as Amortentia proved to be a bit of a struggle to brew, but both Myka and Helena seemed to have succeeded moderately and as soon as they had dropped off their samples on Snape's desk they hurried from the room and into the corridor.

"So, how were your holidays?" Helena asked. Myka shrugged noncommittally.

"Fine, I guess," she said. "Just boring old Muggle Christmas as usual. I spent a lot of time taking care of that plant you gave me, though." Myka smiled, looking over at Helena as they walked. "It's really beautiful."

"I'm so pleased you like it," Helena nudged Myka appreciatively with her shoulder as they ascended the stairs.

"I do," Myka assured her. "And how were your holidays?"

"Lovely, thank you," Helena said. "I worked on some writing I've been pondering for a while."

"What's it about?" Myka asked.

"Oh, just two young women who bend the rules in order to investigate mysterious happenings in a faraway town." Helena deflected with a playful glint in her eye, and Myka snorted. But sensing what Helena was getting at, she ignored her own reluctance about their illicit Mortlach trip and gave in.

"Well, the nearest Hogsmeade trip is next week," she offered casually with a shrug of her shoulders. Helena nodded.

"Shall we make it a date, then?" she asked. Before Myka could reply, though, the two rounded a corner and crashed head-on into the headmistress, a tall woman with dark skin and generous but guarded eyes. The air of authority about her was chilling, and the girls immediately collected themselves and began sputtering out apologies.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking!" Myka offered, avoiding eye contact as Helena made frantic amends of her own.

"It's alright, girls," the headmistress cut them off, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Accidents happen. But I would advise you…" Her voice suddenly took on a very different tone, and Myka chanced a glance at the woman's face. Her expression was stern but not unkind, and she held Myka's gaze firmly.

"… I would advise you to be very careful," the headmistress finished in a tone altogether too serious for the situation, releasing her hold on the girls' shoulders. Then, with a faint upturning of her mouth that might have been interpreted as a smile, she turned on her heel.

"Have a nice day," she said faintly, leaving Myka and Helena stunned and vaguely put off by the encounter. They stood there dumbly for several seconds before Myka remembered the common sense of conversation and had the presence of mind to call out after the headmistress.

"Goodbye, Professor Frederic!"


	13. Chapter 13

The Forbidden Forest came alive at night, the darkness bringing out the shadows and danger that Myka felt curiously at home with. This particular clearing near the edge of the forest had been her private reprieve since first year, and she had come to know its secrets and details well. It, in turn, had been home to Myka's most guarded thoughts and feelings. On this night, it shielded Myka and Helena from view and provided them with the privacy they so desperately craved.

"Close your eyes." Myka's breath fogged in the air. Her firm instruction left no room for squabbling so Helena obeyed, screwing her eyes tight with a sharp intake of breath.

"Don't forget to breathe," Myka crooned into Helena's ear, listening for the regular inhale and exhale as she reached gently for Helena's hand. When Helena's breath came hissing out of her at the contact, Myka smiled. She raised Helena's hand, still clasped in her own, and took a deep breath.

"Say it," she whispered. Helena took a deep breath.

"Expecto Patronum."

A wisp of silver erupted from the end of Helena's wand, broadening and forming swirls and curves as it progressed. Helena's eyes sparkled as she watched her patronus dance before her, but her expression fell slightly as it faded before taking shape. Her determination was still plain on her face, though, and she whirled around to face Myka.

"Show me again," she insisted. Myka adjusted her earmuffs and laughed softly.

"Helena, I've only shown you a million times!" she protested, modest embarrassment colouring her voice. Helena planted her hands firmly on her hips and cocked her head.

"How am I ever going to learn if you won't show me properly?" she asked indignantly. "If we're going back to Mortlach this week I'll need to be able to defend myself, and I won't be able to do that if you don't teach me." Myka considered Helena, feigning hesitancy in an attempt to hide the fact that she was steadily becoming less and less capable of refusing any of Helena's requests. With a final sigh and exaggerated eyeroll, Myka took out her wand.

"It's just about the focus," she said, positioning herself in front of Helena and taking out her wand. "Hold the happiness in your mind and don't let it go…" She trailed off, raising her wand and pointing it into the depths of the forest. "Expecto Patronum!"

A fully-formed hare bounded in a languid stream of silver from Myka's wand, hurrying forward and darting in and out of the trees before them. Myka put her wand away and watched, the shadow of a smile on her face as her gaze followed the patronus around the clearing. Apparently satisfied with the state of things, the hare stilled and evaporated into the night air, the silver remnants rising and disappearing into the moon.

"Truly wonderful," Helena said from behind Myka. "It really never ceases to amaze me. _You _never cease to amaze me." Myka turned around to face Helena, who was gazing at her in admiration. Her cheeks were pink from the cold and her scarf fluttered in the breeze, the moonlight in her hair making her face all the more radiant. Myka's instinct was to look away, but she found that she couldn't– Helena's dark eyes held hers in an inexplicable lock, neither one of them able to look away.

"You're really beautiful," Myka found herself saying in disbelief, internally recoiling in horror as the admission fell from her mouth. The smile it brought to Helena's face chased away her fear, though, and her heart fluttered as Helena raised a gloved hand to Myka's cheek.

"And you must know how lovely you are," she said softly. Myka let out a short huff of incredulous laughter. She was about to say something appropriately self-deprecating in response when she realized that Helena's face was suddenly much closer to hers than it had been before, and her words of protest died in her throat. The inch of space between them was alive with energy, Helena's nervous breathing filling it with an exhilarating and terrifying rhythm.

"Is this too much?" she whispered, her voice wavering slightly. The warmth of Helena's breath reached Myka's lips, and her hands settled on Helena's hips.

"Not enough," she answered softly, cautiously pulling Helena's body towards her and bringing their lips together.

Myka wasn't sure whether she was more aware of Helena's hand resting on her cheek, or of her lips pressing still but insistent on her own. But when Helena broke the kiss a moment later, Myka was entirely sure of the feeling of something being torn away from the very core of her being. But before she knew what was happening Helena kissed her again, the hand on Myka's cheek moving to the back of her head in order to deepen the kiss. Myka didn't know how long they stood like that, exchanging tender and innocent embraces, but when the moon was at its peak their lips were kiss-swollen and their cheeks frostnipped. Myka's eyes glistened with tears as she ran her hands through Helena's hair, a watery smile creeping onto her face. She threw her arms around Helena, pulling her into a tight hug and breathing in the chilled nighttime air.

"It's never going to be enough," she sighed, burying her face in Helena's shoulder. Helena shut her eyes and held Myka tight, leaning into the curls and smooth skin pressed against her cheek.

"That doesn't mean I'll ever stop trying to get there." She kissed Myka's hair and took her hand.

They walked slowly and leisurely back to the castle that night. Hand in hand they went in silence, revelling in the moon, each other and their budding affection, which was unlike any magic they had ever seen before.


	14. Chapter 14

Myka stood outside, wrapping her cloak close around her as she watched the students file out of the castle and down towards Hogsmeade. The joyous laughter and conversation rising from the crowd was indicative of the students' collective relief after the long week they had endured preparing for OWLs. Myka herself had hardly had time to see any of her friends, Pete included, but she told him she was staying in to study in lieu of joining him at Honeyduke's that afternoon– there really wasn't a tactful way to tell him that she would rather spend her Hogsmeade trip with Helena.

She hung back behind everyone, watching the last stragglers hurry after the crowd. But when she heard the castle door creak and saw Helena running gleefully across the deserted grounds, her heart leapt. Helena's hair flew behind her, a goofy grin on her face and her shoulder bag hanging off her arm as she barrelled towards Myka. She seemed not to even bother to slow down as she approached, and Myka smiled. When Helena crashed into Myka full-on, she wasted no time in throwing her hands around Myka's neck and pressing their lips together in a fierce and hungry kiss. Despite her shock Myka found herself reciprocating enthusiastically, and she buried her hands in Helena's hair and inhaled her scent.

"Well, that was a long time coming," Helena murmured against Myka's mouth, resting their foreheads together. Myka laughed.

"It's only been a week," she protested halfheartedly, pushing Helena's hair behind her ear and stroking her cheek. "Not even, if you count potions classes."

"Well, potions classes don't exactly allow for much of this." Helena kissed Myka deeply once more for emphasis, then took her hand and pulled her down the path. "To Hogsmeade!"

"To Mortlach." Myka smiled, squeezing Helena's hand and following her away from the castle.

* * *

><p>Myka and Helena didn't let go of each other's hands until they stood post-apparition in the back of the supermarket once again, and Helena had to rummage in her magically expanded shoulder bag for the muggle clothes. Myka hurriedly stripped off her cloak, slipped her wand into the waistband of her skirt and put on the blue coat. Helena quickly did the same with her own wand and her brown bomber jacket, and they set out in the streets arm in arm.<p>

"I quite like this," Helena said, leaning her head on Myka's shoulder as they walked.

"Yeah, look at us," Myka said. "Off to save the world from some unknown anomaly…"

"Well, yes," Helena said. "That, and spending time together."

Myka was unable to respond for the enormous smile that robbed her of the ability to speak, and they continued walking in silence until they arrived at the spot where the man had burst into flame at their last visit. The snow was melting and the cobblestones peeked through the slush; Helena let go of Myka to lean down and inspect them.

"There are scorch marks where he fell," she said, prodding at the ground. "But he was completely unharmed when he got up, do you remember?"

"Well, there wouldn't be scorch marks if they were bluebell flames," Myka said, rubbing her chin pensively. "And since they don't have any innate heat of their own, he wouldn't have been burned… But where did they come from?"

"Indoors, I would imagine," Helena said obviously, standing and facing the building the man had emerged from. "Brennan & Greeley Law Firm. Or rather, just the Brennan Law Firm…"

Myka looked up at the sign over the front of the building, which was white painted plywood with old-style gold lettering. It featured an ornate ampersand between the two names, and the words "law firm" in smaller print below. However, someone had begun to methodically scrape away the paint spelling out Greeley's name. Despite the apparent change in partnership, though, there was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about the office.

"Shall we go in, then?" Helena suggested casually, heading for the door. Myka grabbed her wrist in haste, eyes widening in panic.

"What?! We can't just waltz in there asking questions, Helena!" she insisted, tugging on Helena's arm insistently. "I mean, can you imagine? 'Hello, we're two runaway wizards looking for illicit magical happenings. Got any information?'" Helena let out a guffaw, shaking Myka's hand loose from her wrist and resting her hand on the doorknob of the law office.

"It won't be quite like that, Myka," she insisted. "Just trust me." And without any further debate, she opened the door and sauntered into the waiting room with Myka hot and anxious on her heels.

The waiting room was small and empty, with a bookish receptionist sitting behind a sturdy antique wooden desk. She looked up at the girls when they walked in, and she smiled pleasantly.

"Looking for something?" she asked. Helena nodded and clasped her hands together in front of her.

"Yes, actually," she said. "Has Mr Greeley vacated his office yet? He's forgotten something terribly important to him, and he telephoned me to ask if I could possibly retrieve it for him."

"And who might you be?" the secretary inquired, apparently more out of curiosity rather than disbelief.

"I'm his niece," Helena said, smiling beatifically. "And this is my best friend. We're on holiday from school in England and she's joined me." She looked back at Myka, who was desperately hoping that the look of absolute terror on her face could be passed off as vague bewilderment. Helena sighed theatrically and turned back to the woman at the desk. "I thought it might be a nice thing to do to come and help make sure Uncle's affairs are sorted given…" She scrunched her face in a piteous expression. "… all the business that's gone on lately."

At that, the secretary's expression immediately softened. "That's terribly kind of you two," she said, standing up and walking out from behind the desk to place a hand on Helena's back. "It really is very upsetting what's happened to him, isn't it? What a comfort to know he has family behind him at any rate. Here, let me just take you in…" She lead Helena and Myka behind the reception desk and down a short hallway that ended with two doors facing opposite each other. She unlocked the one on the right and pushed the door open.

"Feel free," she invited them. "If you need anything I'll be just out there. And do try to be quiet, if you please– Mr Brennan is working in the next room." She gestured over her shoulder at the other door. "Poor thing. He's been so torn up about Mr Greeley…" She shook her head regretfully before turning around and disappearing down the hallway. Helena promptly shut the door behind her and turned to Myka.

"Well, let's have a look, then!" she said, acting as if she hadn't just fabricated an entire backstory for them and snuck into some stranger's office. Myka scoffed.

"You can't be serious," she said in a low voice. Helena furrowed her brow.

"Of course I am! Just don't touch anything, darling. We don't know what we're dealing with. And be quick about it, since we're supposed to know exactly what we're looking for."

Myka, perhaps incapacitated by her disbelief at what had just happened, simply obeyed Helena and began to work her way around the room. It was mostly empty, with only a few stray books remaining on the shelves that covered the walls and the odd paperweight sitting on an otherwise vacant surface.

"See anything of interest?" Myka asked, studying a golden miniature of the Scales of Justice perched on the corner of the desk that dominated the center of the room. Helena shrugged.

"Not much," she sighed. "I think the only way we're going to get any answers is by talking to Greeley himself."

"And how are we going to do that?" As soon as the question was out of her mouth, Myka regretted asking it. She had come to know Helena's look of mischief well, and it was never more plainly on her face than that moment. Her stomach sank in worry as Helena opened the door and beckoned for Myka to follow her.

They emerged from the hallway and the secretary turned to face them. "Find what you need, girls?" she asked. Helena nodded and smiled.

"Yes, we did! Thank you so much for your help," she answered. "Now to visit Uncle, it's been so long since I've seen him…" She rummaged in her bag as she continued to babble, but the rummaging gradually became more frantic.

"Where is it?!" she said fretfully, shutting her bag in frustration and turning to Myka. "You don't have it in your pockets, do you?!" She checked her own and Myka dimly thought that perhaps she should follow suit. Before she could ever shake her head in a feigned answer, Helena had turned back to the secretary.

"Damn, I've lost it!" she cried. "You wouldn't happen to know where Uncle is staying, would you? I simply can't find the paper I had the address on!"

"Oh dear, calm down!" the secretary said, anxiously looking over her shoulder at the door to Brennan's office. "I can give you the address, you musn't fret…"

"Oh, would you? Thank you so much," Helena said gratefully. A moment later she accepted a post-it note with a scrawled address on it, and she and Myka were once again out on the street. Helena walked confidently ahead while Myka straggled behind, apparently in a mild state of shock. They walked three blocks away from the law firm before Helena hung back and fell into step with Myka.

"Admit it," Helena whispered coyly to her. "I'm good."

"Sure," Myka said grudgingly. "In an obvious kind of way." Helena smiled and interlocked her fingers with Myka's, swinging their hands as they walked.

"Perhaps," she replied smugly. "But you can't deny that you like it."

And Helena was right, for Myka couldn't hide the crooked smile that crept onto her face as they continued down the street hand in hand.


	15. Chapter 15

"I hate hospitals," Helena said, clutching Myka's elbow anxiously. "I didn't know he was going to be in a hospital. Why is he in a hospital?! I _hate_ hospitals.

"So you mentioned," Myka said, smiling wryly at Helena's unexpected change in demeanour. She took the secretary's note from Helena's hand and looked it over. "Well, this is the third floor. Now we just need to find the room. It should be this way…"

They rounded the corner, Helena still with a deathgrip on Myka's arm. They came to an abrupt stop at the set of double doors they were now facing, and Myka's heart sank. The safety glass with wire mesh inside set the mood of a prison, and the white sign above them had stark, black letters spelling out the words "PSYCHIATRIC WARD".

"Well, then." Helena breathed shakily, pulling Myka slightly closer to her and reaching out to push the doors open. "This should be interesting."

* * *

><p>"Mr Greeley?" Myka poked her head cautiously in the room, Helena almost cowering behind her. When the brown-haired, bespectacled balding man on the bed turned his head to look at Myka, he smiled. He looked slightly dishevelled but harmless.<p>

"Visitors!" he said brightly. "Come in, why don't you! It's been positively forever since anyone's bothered. Sit, please!" He beckoned enthusiastically, but his motions were cut short by a length of elastic but sturdy material at his wrists. Myka smiled incredulously– on first impression he seemed far too lucid to be in restraints, bound helplessly to the bed.

Myka took Helena by the arm. "It's okay," she coaxed her in a whisper as she led her into the room. Looking back to Greeley, she took a seat in the chair by his bed. Helena elected to stand behind the chair and rest a hand nonchalantly on Myka's shoulder, trying to pass it off as casual rather than an effort at gaining some reassurance.

"Now, if I may ask you two charming ladies, exactly who are you?" Greeley folded his hands together as best he could over his pot belly. "I mean, it's absolutely lovely to see some fresh faces, I'm certainly not complaining! But you can't blame me for wondering."

"Um, my name is Myka." She smiled. "And this is Helena." She felt Helena nod and tighten her grip on her shoulder. Myka sincerely hoped that Helena would get in gear soon, because she hadn't exactly thought further ahead than this…

"Happy to meet you both!" Greeley said jovially. "I'm Gerald Greeley, but you apparently already knew that. Which, by the way, is something I'd be interested in hearing about."

"Well, Mr Greeley–" Myka began.

"Oh, just Gerry, if you please." He waved it away, the motion jerking the hospital bed where it was attached to the restraint.

"Gerry," Myka continued. "Basically, we saw something kind of weird happen outside your law firm a few weeks ago and we got curious…" Myka trailed off, slightly unsure of what to say next. But when Greeley's eyes widened in shock and he began to tremble.

"You… you saw it?" he asked timidly. Myka glanced up at Helena in confusion, and Helena returned the look.

"Of course we did," Helena spoke for the first time since entering the room. "There was an entire crowd there." Greeley shut his eyes and let out a deep sigh, a smile of complete relief and bliss on his face. Myka noticed tears creeping onto his cheeks from under his eyelids.

"Thank God," he whispered to himself. "Thank God…" Then, opening his eyes and looking back over at the girls, he sighed deeply once again. "You see, nobody believes me," he began to explain. "I _know_ it happened, and there were so many people there, but they honestly don't seem to have seen anything at all." He shook his head. "But you… You two prove I'm not mad."

"Did they lock you up in here, then?" Helena asked timidly, her eyes flitting nervously around the room. Greeley shook his head.

"Not exactly," he said with a shudder. "Whatever it was that you saw– the fire, I mean– it kept coming back. It would flare up at any given moment, but each time it happened nobody seemed to remember afterwards. I was too terrified to venture outside because of it and I became something of a shut-in. Stopped showing up for work, going out with friends, the whole lot. Then at last, when I couldn't stand it anymore, I decided to– er, shall we say– take matters into my own hands…" His gaze dropped. "Took a few too many pills. And that combined with the fact that everybody seems to think I'm psychotic, here I am."

The silence hung in the room as Myka and Helena processed the information. But before either of them could think what to say, a nurse came clattering into the room with a tray of food. She plopped it down on the table next to Greeley's bed and undid one of his restraints.

"Dinnertime," she said unenthusiastically before clearing out of the room to continue her food distribution. Myka and Helena looked at each other anxiously, and Helena looked around for the wall clock. The time had gotten away from them, it seemed, and they would be late for the return curfew.

"We're sorry to have to leave you so soon, Gerry," Myka said, standing up, "but we really have to get going…"

"We'll be back, though," Helena assured him confidently, grabbing hold of Myka's hand and dragging her out of the room at a run. Myka managed a hasty wave to Greeley before she disappeared out the door, leaving him rather bamboozled with his plastic fork poised to delve into his peas.

* * *

><p>They popped back into the clearing in Hogsmeade with a loud crack, and neither one of them took a moment to collect themselves before they began running through the village back to the castle. Helena rummaged in her bag for their uniforms as they went, Myka tearing off her jacket and reaching frantically for her robes as they started up the hill. The snow slipped under their feet as the sun began to set, and when they reached the castle doors red-faced and panting, Professor Frederic was waiting. They slowed to a walk as they approached her, gravitating closer together in a weak display of solidarity.<p>

"Sorry, Professor," were the only defeated words that Myka could muster in between her deep breaths. Helena's lips were pursed and her brow furrowed in concern as she looked up into the headmistress's suspicious, yet not unkind, eyes.

"I trust your day was illuminating," she said, pausing momentarily before stressing the last word. Helena glanced at Myka from the corner of her eye, and Myka dropped her gaze.

"We won't be late again, Professor," she said deferentially. "I promise. We're so, so sorry."

Professor Frederic nodded curtly, opening the castle doors to let the girls pass. As they headed down the corridor, the headmistress called after them.

"There will be no punishment this time," her voice rang out against the stone, causing the girls to stop in their tracks and turn their heads. "However, I would urge you to keep your next visit more timely. People might start to talk otherwise. You're smart girls." She shut the door behind her and approached Helena and Myka, looking into their eyes and speaking very seriously. "You can get a good deal done in the time allotted to you, if you go about it correctly."

And without another word, she turned and walked quickly down the corridor and out of sight. Myka let out a shaky sigh, and Helena let out a small laugh of disbelief. As they continued down the corridor together, Helena leaning to one side slightly under the weight of her shoulder bag, their hands found each other and they interlocked fingers.

"Do you ever get the feeling she knows something?" Myka mused aloud, absentmindedly stroking the back of Helena's hand with her thumb. Helena shrugged as they stopped at the junction leading down to the Slytherin common room.

"For all we know, she does know something. But let her, for all I care. Because we didn't get detention." She smiled wickedly, stood on tiptoe to plant a quick kiss on Myka's cheek, and hurried down the hallway. Myka smiled to herself, shaking her head as she turned and ascended the stairs to Ravenclaw Tower.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: **Here's where the T rating gets real, so if there are people watching over your shoulder, save this for later. You're all beautiful people for reading this and I'm sorry I never update promptly.

* * *

><p>"Dammit!" Myka cursed under her breath as she glared at Pete, who had just smugly slid into the last free seat in the library. That week, everyone had seemed to simultaneously realize that OWLs were fast approaching and there was no time like the present to study, so the normally deserted library was now full to the brim with anxious fifth-years. Consequently, Myka and Helena were left without a quiet place to study together. Myka turned her back to Pete and shrugged at Helena.<p>

"Let's go," she said dejectedly, heading for the door. They shuffled through the aisles, past endless stacks of books in various states of disarray, and hurried past Madame Pince's desk near the entrance. She looked up briefly, her ever-present scowl still knitting her brows together, and Myka attempted a friendly smile. It wasn't returned, and the girls shot each other a nervous smile as they headed through the door.

"So where to?" Helena asked. "It's times like this I really wish they had more common areas. I mean, if we aren't allowed in each other's common rooms then how can they expect us to study across houses?"

"I don't know," Myka said, twirling one of her curls around her finger as they headed up the staircase to the fifth floor. "Maybe they don't want us to."

"But darling, how would I ever pass Defence Against the Dark Arts without your sage advice?" Helena smiled, reaching over and clasping Myka's hand between both of her own. Myka bit her lip and smiled, slowing reluctantly as they approached the entrance to the fifth floor.

"Ravenclaw Tower's this way," she said disappointedly, starting to pull her hand away from Helena's. But Helena tugged her arm back sharply, bringing their bodies flush together.

"Let's go exploring." Helena's breath ghosted across Myka's skin, and sent shivers up her spine. Myka could never deny Helena when she had that mischievous smile on her face, so she didn't even bother putting up fake resistance and making excuses about studying. She simply let Helena tug her up the stairs and listened to her delighted giggles and the echoes of their feet against the stone steps.

They emerged on the seventh floor and walked aimlessly around the halls, their pinkies linked and hands swinging loosely between them.

"I just wish we had a room to ourselves," Myka mused as they absentmindedly retraced their steps over and over. "Somewhere quiet where we could go and study."

"Nevermind study," Helena said. "Every time I'm alone with you it's in Mortlach! Just spending some time together indoors would be lovely… Sounds insane, doesn't it?!" She let out a burst of high-pitched laughter, and Myka grinned.

"No! I get it. There's just nowhere for us to go… You know what I think we need? Just a room. A room with a table and two chairs, maybe a fireplace for good measure, and all the reference books we need for studying."

"And some kind of invisible door," Helena added enthusiastically as they paced the hallway once more, "so we could just disappear for a little while and no one would find us."

"Yeah." Myka's voice was slightly regretful. "Wouldn't that be–" she stopped abruptly, her feet anchored to the spot as she considered the wall they had been walking past.

"Myka?" Helena questioned. "What's going on?"

"That door." Myka's brow was knit in confusion. "Was that door there before?"

"Before what?"

"We've walked this hall three times and I never saw it before," Myka continued. "Did you see it?"

"I can't say that I noticed," Helena shrugged, approaching the door and testing the handle. She looked over her shoulder at Myka. "It's unlocked." And before Myka could respond, of course Helena had gone ahead and pushed it open, disappearing inside and leaving Myka with no choice but to follow her. And when she did, she was astonished at what she saw.

They now stood in a small but spacious room with vaulted ceilings and a small table in the middle. Two chairs were on opposite sides of it, and bookshelves lined the walls. On the opposite end of the room was a small window and fireplace, logs crackling warmly in the blaze. Helena turned around and faced Myka, beaming.

"Well it seems as if we've found our solution!" She took off her black school robe, slinging it over the back of one of the chairs and taking a seat. Myka was still gazing around the room in wonder.

"This must be it," she muttered. "The Come and Go Room. The Room of Requirement. They talk about it in Hogwarts: A History… It's only there when you really need it, and then it has exactly what you need."

"Lucky for us, then," Helena said as she tied her hair half up and began to unpack her schoolbooks, unbridled glee radiating from her face. "Come, have a seat."

As Myka approached the table, she turned around momentarily and noticed that the door had vanished. Frowning in concern, she approached the spot on the wall where the door had been and ran her hand over it. To her surprise, the handle appeared from nowhere.

"Complete with a vanishing door," she said in wonder, a crooked smile coming across her lips. As soon as she removed her hand, the door vanished once more. Satisfied, she ventured back into the room and perused the bookshelves. After picking out a few helpful volumes, Myka plopped them on the tabletop and removed her own black robe. She sat down across from Helena.

"Shall we?"

* * *

><p>"If I look at one more defensive theory chapter, I'll scream." Helena shoved the book across the table at Myka and rested her head on her forearm. Hours had passed, and the two had gone through every relevant book on the shelves for any help it could give them with Defence Against the Dark Arts. Helena had schooled Myka in the intricacies of Herbology, and they had practiced their charms– teacups had conveniently appeared when they had needed to cast a spell putting legs on them, and they now lay cracked on the floor having walked off the table. Myka's hair was much more unruly than usual after their hard work, and she pulled at her curls absentmindedly.<p>

"I think I'm done for the night too…" She looked out the window. The moon was at its peak, meaning that curfew was well past in effect. "Filch won't be happy with us when we come clattering through the halls on the way to bed." Helena rolled her eyes and groaned.

"It would be so much easier just to stay here…" And no sooner than the words were out of her mouth, both she and Myka noticed for the first time that there was a bed nestled in the corner of the room between the last bookshelf and the fireplace.

"Was that…" Myka ventured, but Helena just shrugged.

"Nothing surprises me anymore," she said, standing up and walking over to the bed. The quilt on it was tremendously warm and comfortable, and on top of it lay two pairs of striped pyjamas– one blue and one green– neatly folded in individual piles. Helena lifted the blue pair and considered it for a moment, smiling to herself before turning around and tossing them at Myka. "For you, judging by the colour."

Myka fingered the pyjamas, dimly noting in some corner of her mind that they were clearly meant to share the bed. Not really paying attention to the thought, though, she turned away from Helena and began to undress and put on the pyjamas. They were unusually soft and comfortable, and Myka allowed herself to yawn. She left her clothes slung messily over the back of her chair, and turned back to face Helena. When she saw Helena standing in just her pyjama bottoms, her cheeks coloured at the realization that she allowed herself to continue to stare. Myka couldn't stop her eyes roaming over the contours of Helena's back… And when Helena suddenly turned around, clutching the shirt to her front, her eyes sparkled and the beginning of a smile tweaked the ends of her lips.

"Well here we are again." She laughed, not moving to put her shirt on. Myka swallowed hard.

"Again?"

"That night we ran into Peeves and had to take a bath afterwards… Don't think I didn't feel you looking at me then, too." She approached Myka slowly, taking deliberate, measured steps until they were no more than a foot apart.

"I'm sorry…" Myka's face went bright red. "I can't help it."

"Darling, don't be ashamed. If you remember, I certainly didn't refrain from sneaking a peek either." She raised one hand to caress Myka's cheek, the other still holding the pyjama shirt to her chest. Myka was suddenly nervous, and she let out a shaky sigh.

"You take my breath away." Her voice was barely a whisper, but Helena heard. Her eyes glistened– with tears? Myka wasn't sure– and she stood on tiptoe and kissed her softly but deeply. Myka's head reeled when Helena pulled away, but she was still aware enough to notice that Helena had removed the shirt from her front and lifted it over her head. Myka felt her hands reaching up of their own accord and grasping the hem of the shirt, pulling it down over Helena's body. Myka's eyes devoured every inch of Helena's skin before it was covered by the fabric. Helena pushed her arms through the sleeves and stood before Myka, hands at her sides and looking up into Myka's eyes. She suddenly seemed nervous. They walked towards the bed, Myka pulling the covers back and letting Helena slip in first.

They lay on their backs for some time, not touching, watching the moon through the window. The mere inches between them seemed more like miles, yet neither one of them could bring themselves to close the distance. At last, as the last stars appeared in the sky, Helena spoke.

"Myka," she said softly and anxiously. "Do you mind if I…" She trailed off. But Myka reached out in response, turning on her side and resting her hand on Helena's forearm. That was the push she needed, because as soon as Helena felt the heat of Myka's skin through the sleeve of her shirt, she rolled onto her side and moved over so she was pressed against Myka. In an instant they were kissing, more slowly but somehow more passionately than they ever had before, and Myka felt Helena's leg slip in between her own. Then, she found herself on her back, and Helena's face was hovering above her. Those dark eyes she loved so much were searching her, but for what she wasn't sure.

"Can I…" Helena looked down at her hand, which was resting on the top button of Myka's pyjama shirt. But Myka noticed that her hand was trembling. She immediately reached up to grasp it.

"Are you scared?" she asked, trying to hide her disbelief. Helena, the one who loved stolen kisses and holding hands and relentless flirting… She was plainly scared, hovering uncertainly above Myka and biting her lip as she nodded in confirmation.

"It's just… You mean so very much to me, Myka." She let out a long breath. "And it suddenly frightens me, how much of myself I want to share with you– how much I want to be a part of you."

Myka lay in awed silence, staring up at the beautiful girl above her. And suddenly she found herself rolling over so Helena was now beneath her, their legs still intertwined. Helena's dark hair lay fanned over the pillow, and the unsure expression on her face revealed something soft and vulnerable that Myka had never seen before. One hand still clutching Helena's at the collar of her shirt, Myka lowered herself down and gently kissed Helena's forehead. When Helena's eyes shut at the contact and a few happy tears escaped, Myka kissed them away.

"We don't have to," she whispered, moving to return to her position lying beside Helena. But Helena reacted quickly, reaching down and holding Myka fast by the waist so she stayed where she was.

"No," she said softly, shaking Myka's hand off her own and opening the top button of Myka's shirt. "I want to." She slipped her hand inside, and at the first feel of soft flesh under her palm she smiled and laughed incredulously. Myka gasped and her head dropped, her forehead pressed against Helena's. Her breath quickened, and she whispered desperately.

"I don't think I can stop now." Helena felt Myka's hips beginning to rock, and she swallowed the last of her anxiety. Letting her fingers trace across the sensitive skin beneath them, Helena kissed her way to Myka's ear.

"I have no intention of stopping you, darling," she breathed, tilting her head back and gratefully giving in to the inevitable.


	17. Chapter 17

Pete sat at the usual table at the back of the library, scratching his head over a transfiguration textbook. When he heard a pair of footsteps approaching, he looked up, expecting Myka. Instead, Myka rounded the corner with Helena. They were holding hands.

"Hey," Myka said casually, sitting down opposite him at the table. Helena stood behind her chair, resting her hand on Myka's shoulder and smiling at Pete in greeting. He nodded in acknowledgement, smiling somewhat confusedly in return.

"Hey Mykes, Helena…" he said. "Is this a study session for three now?"

"Oh no," Helena said, shaking her head. "I have a date with a greenhouse in twenty minutes. And I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding," Myka muttered. Helena smiled.

"Regardless, darling, I'll say goodbye. See you later." She bent down as Myka angled her face upwards, and their lips met in a quick kiss before Helena turned and hurried off down the aisles and out of the library. When Myka turned her attention to Pete, he was slack jawed and staring after Helena.

"Pete." Myka tried to get his attention. He continued to stare, his brow gradually sinking in bewilderment until Myka reached out and flicked his forehead. "Pete!" she said forcefully. Madame Pince promptly sent an angry hush down the aisle at her, and Myka looked over her shoulder with an apologetic grimace on her face. When she turned back, Pete was now staring at her with narrowed eyes.

"You and Helena?!" he whispered in disbelief. Myka nodded, tucking a ringlet behind her ear and trying to suppress the smile threatening to burst out… She realized she hadn't heard it out loud before, that she and Helena were together, and it made her chest fill with bubbles. Happy bubbles, she decided. Helena would think that was funny, so Myka made a mental note to mention it to her later.

"Me and Helena," she whispered, worrying her lip and waiting for a further response from Pete. She watched the emotions flit across his face, practically able to see the gears turning as he put it all together. At last, he seemed to settle on being casual and he cleared his throat.

"Well, I can't say I don't see the appeal," he said, shrugging. "Well done. She's, um, she's really beautiful. And I'm happy for you, I honestly am." Myka grinned, filling with affection for Pete and his awkward honesty. Seeing Myka's joy, Pete lightened up a bit and reached across the table to punch her gently in the arm. "Besides," he continued, "if anyone needs a little fun in their life it's you. So go nuts." Myka swatted his hand away irritably, still smiling.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you," she said, eyeing him and opening a rather large textbook full of potions diagrams and instructions. They read in silence for a while before Pete sighed and looked up from the page he had been pondering for the past few minutes.

"So is that why you've been ditching me on Hogsmeade weekends?" Pete asked. Myka looked up from her book, one eyebrow raised. "Because you could have brought her along, you know. I mean, not if you wanted to be alone, but, you know, I wouldn't have minded."

"No, Pete, it's not that. Well, it kind of is." Myka huffed a deep breath of air, rolling her eyes up as she considered what to say next. Looking at Pete's expectant expression, though, she gave in. "See," she started, "we kind of accidentally fell into this whole, er, situation… And it's really complicated. Oh, and you _can't _tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, okay? You have to promise."

"Mykes, you're making me nervous." Pete regarded her with worry, sitting straighter in his seat. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is fine, I swear. But seriously, don't tell anyone. Okay?" She waited with baited breath, still unsure of whether what she was about to do was smart– actually, knowing it wasn't smart– but when he nodded, she nodded and glanced around to make sure nobody was within earshot. When she was sure, she leaned in close and spilled the whole story.

* * *

><p>"You told him?" Helena was surprised but not angry, removing her hand from Myka's as they strolled around the grounds. She stepped into Myka's path and faced her, stopping them in their tracks.<p>

"He won't tell anyone, Helena. You don't have to worry." Myka reached for both of Helena's gloved hands again and held them, silently imploring her for trust. Trust was never a question though, and Myka could see it in Helena's eyes. They never hardened against her, always liquid and open and glowing with affection even now.

"I know he wouldn't tell," Helena conceded, "I suppose I'm just a bit unsettled. Mortlach was our own little world." She squeezed Myka's hands and looked down at the ground.

"Helena, there's a whole world out there for us," Myka said, leaning in and planting a soft kiss on Helena's forehead. "And I want to explore all of it with you. At the very least we can afford to share Mortlach with Pete. Besides," she said with a sneaky grin, "as bumbling as he is sometimes, we might be able to put him to good use solving our mystery." Helena looked up and smiled at Myka, letting out a quick huff of laughter.

"I can share Mortlach with Pete, certainly, but I don't want to have to share you." Myka smiled and bit her lip, dropping one of Helena's hands and reaching up to cup her cheek.

"Helena, you've got me." Despite Myka's best efforts, her mouth broke into the goofy, crooked grin that Helena loved so much. "You've got all of me." At that, Helena pulled Myka into a tight hug, grasping the back of her neck and burying her face in Myka's shoulder.

"Oh, I do love you," came the muffled admission. "I love you so very much." Myka extricated herself from Helena's grasp, took her face in her hands and brought their lips together in a searing kiss.

"I know," Myka whispered hot against Helena's mouth, "but I bet I love you more."


End file.
